U.S. patent application number 10/021320 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-01 for container terminal apparatus and method.
Invention is credited to Dunstan, Paul D..
Application Number | 20020102150 10/021320 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22915983 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020102150 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dunstan, Paul D. |
August 1, 2002 |
Container terminal apparatus and method
Abstract
A method and apparatus for ASRS handling of loaded and empty
oceangoing containers. Containers are stored in a multi-level
loaded container facility in upland and pier banks of spaced rows
and columns in a grill-like arrangement with each container in a
particular space spaced from all other containers, commonly
referred to in ASRS systems, as rack storage. Empty containers are
stored in a separate building remote from but accessible to, the
stored loaded container facility and identical containers of the
same ocean carrier are stacked one on top of the other directly in
separate cells. Containers which are handled between upland banks
of spaces and pier banks of spaces are moved between the pier and
upland spaces by a number of computer automated internal bridge
cranes. The upland and pier banks are provided with external fast
transport balconies which enable a container to be moved rapidly
lengthwise along the length of the loaded container facility to
bypass the slower movements of internal bridge cranes and thus make
a more rapid deployment of that container. Similarly, the empty
container balcony high up on the facility for bypassing the slower
movements of internal bridge cranes to, immediately prior to being
loaded aboard ship, move from one location along the facility to
another opposite the pier crane that will load it aboard a ship.
Or, this process is reversed when empty containers are being
discharged (unloaded) from ships.
Inventors: |
Dunstan, Paul D.; (Bellevue,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Daniel J. Beitey
BLACK LOWE & GRAHAM PLLC
816 Second Avenue
Seattle
WA
98104
US
|
Family ID: |
22915983 |
Appl. No.: |
10/021320 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60242736 |
Oct 23, 2000 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
414/267 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 63/045 20130101;
B65G 1/0407 20130101; B65G 1/02 20130101; B65G 63/004 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
414/267 |
International
Class: |
B65G 001/00 |
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A container handling and storage apparatus at an ocean or land
terminal servicing the loading and unloading of oceangoing
containers to or from rail cars, trucks and/or ships, comprising: a
multi-level automated storage and retrieval loaded container
storage facility having a plurality of individual framed vertically
and horizontally separated spaces for storing loaded containers
separated from one another in individual spaces; means for
delivering containers to and from said loaded container storage
facility; a separate empty container storage structure, said empty
container storage structure having vertical cells for receiving and
storing several identical empty containers of the same size and of
the same ocean carrier, in stacked array directly one on top of
another, in individual vertical cells so that the top container is
always the next to be moved; means for delivering empty containers
between said strategically located empty container storage
structure and the loaded container storage facility; and, wherein
the loaded containers are placed in cells in the based on the date
and hour the containers are to be moved into automated storage
facility.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of provisional
application No. 60/242,736 filed on Oct. 23, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to an ASRS (automated
storage and retrieval system) high productivity container storage
apparatus for storing and loading and unloading containers to or
from ships, and to or from rail cars and trucks, all done
simultaneously. More particularly the invention pertains to an ASRS
system designed to replace a typical ocean terminal operation for
discharging (unloading) and loading of ships, which also includes
an intermodal container handling facility for moving containers to
or from railcars and trucks. Oversized and hazardous cargo
containers (usually less than 1%), are lowered beneath the pier
cranes, to be stored on the ground Ocean carriers transmit the
inbound and outbound load plans to their ships, to the container
terminals, several hours before a vessel's arrival. The load plans
show precisely where in or on the ship, specific containers are
stowed, or are to be stowed. The system's computer uses this data
to direct the operation of the system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In other automated multi-level container storage and loading
and unloading systems, the containers are stored in individual
vertical and horizontal container spaces. Generally there will be
several pairs of multi-level banks of such spaces with the space
between the banks being served by cranes, which can remove a
container from any of the spaces in one bank and deliver that
container to any of the spaces up, down, or laterally in either
bank. Furthermore, in some of these automated container storage
systems there are receiving and delivering cranes for delivering
containers to and from land vehicles, such as trucks and rail cars.
On the pier or water side of the storage facility, there are
generally a plurality of pier cranes which deliver loaded and empty
containers to and from sea-going vessels, and to or from AGVs
(automated guided vehicles), automated, self-powered railcars, or
truck-chassis. An important advantage of these systems is that they
use much less land than conventional terminal operations. Thus
ports can put land to much higher uses than as parking lots for
containers. The other systems have not provided a means to have
containers moved rapidly from one section of the systems to
another, bypassing the slower movement of containers within said
systems, nor have they provided for separate but integrated storage
of empty containers that can be built and operated for a fraction
of the cost of individual storage spaces. Empty containers remain
in storage for much longer periods of time than do loaded
containers. The lack of these features may explain why none of the
other systems have been built.
[0004] A typical container ship can generate millions of dollars of
revenue on a single transoceanic voyage. As a result, it is
important for the ships to be discharged (off-loaded) and loaded in
the minimum period of time so that they can be generating the
maximum revenue by increasing the number of transoceanic voyages
that can be made during a year. Furthermore, whenever a container
vessel is laying alongside the pier, it must pay wages for its idle
shipboard crew, berthing charges and other overhead expenses. Thus,
it is of paramount importance to the ship owner or operator to
minimize the loading and unloading time at a port facility. There
is a great need for a system that can also significantly reduce the
cost of handling containers on the terminal, thus increasing
profits for ocean carriers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention
to provide a more highly efficient container handling and storage
system for minimizing the time and cost to move a container through
the system.
[0006] It is a further object of the invention to provide
additional cost savings with a unique way of storing empty
containers, apart from the much more expensive loaded storage
container storage facility's banks of individual spaces.
[0007] The present invention more efficiently transfers containers
between different types of container shipping systems, such as
between container ships, rail cars, and over the road equipment. In
such terminal and intermodal facilities, containers are frequently
unloaded, such as from a container ship, rail car or truck, and
placed into temporary storage prior to being loaded onto other
transportation equipment. The other transportation equipment may be
of the same type, such as a second ship or may be different.
[0008] This application describes two separate inventive features
and a combination thereof for both storing containers more
cost-effectively, and for moving those containers efficiently with
a reduced cost.
[0009] The first feature of the invention is to store empty
containers in a separate high rise empty storage (twelve or more
containers high), container facility which is separated from but
accessible to, the more expensive individual spaces in the loaded
container storage facility. In the loaded container storage
facility, each space in the facility is identified and a container
is inserted into that space held separated from all other
containers in the facility. In the empty container storage
facility, however, the facility is arranged into vertical cells and
identical containers of the same ocean carrier are stacked up to
twelve or more containers high in these individual cells, one on
top of the other. Access to a particular designated empty container
in the stack other than the top container, is seldom ever required
and thus, the last in or top container is the first out in almost
all instances. One of the advantages of using stacking cells is
that the operating cost of the facility is only approximately 25%
as much as for containers in individual spaces. Furthermore, the
cost to build an empty container storage facility, which does not
need to accommodate the enormous weights of loaded containers, is
10%-20% of the cost to build the loaded container storage facility
storing the same number of containers. The volume of space
necessary for the empty container facility, is approximately 40% of
that required to individually store the same number of containers
in separated spaces or compartments in the much more expensive to
build and operate banks of spaces found in the loaded container
storage facility. Thus, this invention uniquely provides a separate
yet integrated storage facility for the empty containers to reduce
operating and construction costs of the overall storage and
handling facility, and the land required, and does not
unnecessarily burden or tie-up spaces in the stored container
facility for the empty containers. Empty containers occasionally
will be stored for a few hours, together with loaded containers, in
the loaded container storage facility immediately prior to loading
aboard ship.
[0010] A second feature of the invention is to provide fast
transport balconies along the outside of the loaded storage
container facility so that individual containers can be moved
rapidly, bypassing the multiple slower moving cranes that move
within their own zones, between the banks of spaces within the
loaded container facility. These fast transport balconies make it
possible to move containers from one zone, bypassing other zones,
to another zone, or from one end of the loaded container storage
facility to the other, in a fraction of the time, thus
significantly reducing container time and handling costs.
[0011] Another feature of the invention is to incorporate and
integrate together with the empty storage container facility a fast
transport balcony for independently moving empty containers
externally along the loaded storage facility to bypass the internal
cranes' zones and thus speed-up delivery of empty containers to and
from a ship. The empty container facility is linked to its fast
transport balcony by cranes. These cranes also load and unload
empty containers to or from trucks that drive beneath them.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present
invention are described in detail below with reference to the
following drawings.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a typical container
handling storage facility embodying the principles of the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic isometric showing a portion of the
pier side of the facility;
[0015] FIG. 2A is a fragmentary detail of a portion of the facility
shown in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 3A is a fragmentary detail of a portion of the facility
shown in FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric showing the upland side of
the facility and showing the empty container storage facility
location embodying the principles of the invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the empty and loaded
container, and chassis stored facilities and their loading and
unloading cranes, and the control center, customs and equipment
repair building; and
[0019] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic end elevation of the storage
facilities and their cranes and the fast transport and pier crane
balconies.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] The container storage and handling equipment of this
invention is designed to handle many containers per hour with the
containers being in 20-foot lengths or up to 60 feet in length. The
containers all have individual numbers. Or, they may be coded with
conventional, automated equipment identification tags (AEI) and a
computerized control system of a type well known in the art is
provided to identify each container. The numbers or AEI
identification tags are scanned as containers enter or leave the
system. Through the system's computer, the system maintains a
record of the location of every container in the system, so that it
can send the necessary ASRS handling equipment to that stored
location to either deliver or retrieve a container.
[0021] As best shown in FIG. 4, the container storage facilities
include a loaded container storage facility 10, an empty container
storage facility 12, an upland bank of loaded storage spaces 14 and
a pier bank of loaded storage spaces 16. Between the banks 14 and
16, is an internal bridge crane space 18 for a plurality of
internal bridge cranes 20.
[0022] The entire loaded container storage facility will be a
unitary structure, generally having a roof 22 covering grill-work
or "rack" arrays of individually framed container storage spaces,
such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A. The individually framed spaces
independently support each container in a framework separated from
all other containers as is well known in ASRS systems and further
details are not necessary to an understanding of this aspect of the
invention.
[0023] Beginning with the pier bank 16, the ships "S" are
off-loaded by conventional pier cranes 24 that have had their back
reaches extended. The pier cranes can shift along the length of the
ship and pick up a container "C," and either deposit the container
on truck "T," rail car "R" beneath the cranes (FIG. 5), or after a
90 degree. rotation, to a pier crane balcony 26 on the pier side of
the pier bank. The designation "pier," "pier side," "upland," or
"upland side" will be used throughout this description to identify
structures on opposite sides of the loaded container storage
facility. It should also be understood that this facility, however,
can be used for handling storage, sorting, loading and unloading of
containers for applications other than off-loading ships such as
when the invention is used exclusively as an intermodal facility,
transferring containers to or from rail cars and/or trucks.
[0024] As best shown in FIG. 2, the pier crane 24 picks up the
container in a conventional manner, turns and delivers it to a
transporter 28 that moves on its zones along the seventh level pier
balcony 26. The zones of transporters on the pier crane balcony are
adjusted manually or on the computer whenever the pier cranes are
moved to other hatch positions on ships. The loaded container
storage facility will have twelve or more spaces vertically and two
hundred or more spaces along the length of each bank. Systems will
be adapted for the number of ships to be simultaneously served and
the number of containers to be stored, thus the number of levels
and length will vary from port to port (200 along the length will
serve two ships simultaneously). Thus, up to 10,000 containers,
each up to 60 feet in length, can be stored in a typical facility.
Loaded containers remain in the system only for a short period of
time, while empty containers may remain in storage for a year or
longer-thus, the separate storage facilities are mandatory for
efficiency of operation and to reduce construction costs.
[0025] The transporter 28 is a remotely automated or computer
controlled rail car that moves laterally on the pier crane balcony
26. It is of conventional construction having wheels 30 at each end
of the transporter that run along tracks 29 on each balcony that
extend from one end of the balcony to the other, that is between
the left and right ends in the balcony shown in FIG. 2. Also, each
transporter has a conventional ASRS inserting and retrieving
mechanism 32, which will take the container "C" and in a manner
well known in ASRS systems, move it into or out of a designated
space. In the alternative, the transporter will retrieve a
container from a space, and move it to a pier crane to be loaded
aboard ship. There are two or more transporters for each pier crane
which move in adjustable horizontal zones aligned with the position
of the movable pier cranes. In addition to the pier crane balcony,
there is a fifth level fast transport balcony 27 which carries two
fast transporters. In the case of fast transport balconies 27, 34,
36 and 38 (referred to hereinafter), the transporters move
laterally, bypassing the slower movements of the cranes between the
banks within the loaded container facility. The fast transport
balconies each have two transporters. When two ships are being
served, both transporters are used, each moving within its zone.
When one ship is being served, only one transporter on each fast
transport balcony is used, so that it can move the full length of a
balcony. The other fast transporters are then parked at the ends of
the balconies.
[0026] One transporter on the pier crane balcony 26 can be
receiving containers from the ship while another transporter is
delivering a container from storage to the pier crane to place back
on the ship. The pier cranes can thus double cycle, that is, they
can remove a container from the ship with one inboard movement of
the crane, deposit that container onto one of the transporters,
then pick up a container from the second transporter, and on the
return movement to the ship, bring that new container to be stowed
aboard the ship. The additional transporter(s) can also function as
a buffer between the handling rate of the pier cranes and that of
the loaded container facility.
[0027] Higher speed transporters 28 operate on the fast transport
balconies, but can deliver a container to any space along that
level of the storage facility. If it is necessary to move the
container from one end of the storage facility clear to the other
end of the storage facility, for example, when two ships are being
served and two transporters are operating, it will be necessary to
move the transporter to an intermediate position along the length
of the pier bank, place the container into a space, and have the
second transporter on that fast transport balcony remove the
container from that space and carry it further along to the desired
space toward the other end of the balcony. If there is only one
ship at the pier the first transporter, of course, can run the full
length of the fast transport balcony to rapidly carry that
container to the opposite end of the pier bank of spaces while the
second transporter is parked at one end of the balcony.
[0028] Six conventional receive and deliver cranes 43 are also
spaced along the length of the pier bank at the second level.
[0029] Preferably within the loaded container storage facility, the
internal cranes 20 of which there are two for each pier crane, can
transfer containers between any of the spaces within their zones of
operation from one space in one bank to a different space in the
same bank or to a different space in the parallel opposite bank as
is common with ASRS systems. Since the internal cranes must move
not only lengthwise of the storage facility but also move
containers vertically, these cranes take a longer period of time to
receive a container and reposition it into a different space than
would a fast transporter. Thus, two of these cranes are needed for
each pier crane. Each crane between the banks handles a zone of
approximately twelve horizontally spaced columns of spaces and can
retrieve a container from the inside of the space of a bank, move
it to another location and insert the container into a space,
either in the pier side bank or the upland side bank. ASRS bridge
cranes of this type with rigid frameworks suspended from them,
having both lateral and vertical movement capability, are well
known in the art of ASRS systems, and details are not necessary for
an understanding of the invention. Suffice it to say that since
each of these internal cranes only operate in a limited zone of
movement and take more time to move a container from one internal
cranes' zones to the next between the banks of spaces, it is
desirable to be able to bypass these internal cranes' zones for
rapid movement of a container past several of the internal cranes'
zones. Thus, it is apparent why the fast transport balcony 27 so
advantageously is provided external of the internal crane space for
moving a container past one or many of the independent zones within
which the internal cranes operate.
[0030] As is best shown in FIG. 3, the upland bank 14 is provided
with a fast transport balcony 34 at the sixth level of the bank and
a fast transport balcony 36 at the eighth level. In addition, at
the 10.sup.th level, there is a fast transport balcony 38 for
handling empty containers.
[0031] The fast transport balconies 34 and 36 are each provided
with two high speed transporters 28 in the same manner as the
transport balcony 26 with its high speed transporters 28.
Similarly, the fast transport balcony 38 for empty containers also
has the same type of high speed transporter 28 as earlier
described. It is desirable to place the empty container fast
transport balcony and lower weight loaded containers, as high on
the facility as possible, since the structural load carrying
capability of the upper levels of the facility will require less
steel if they handle only light weight loaded containers and empty
containers, thus loading requirements and building strength
requirements for this balcony and the upper levels of the
structure, will not be as great as for the lower balconies and
structures.
[0032] Upland receiving and delivering cranes 44, operate from the
second level of the facility. Six receive and deliver cranes 44 are
provided on the upland side of the loaded container facility. These
cranes are conventional in construction and will deliver or remove
containers at the second level spaces on the upland bank and either
deposit them on rail cars or trucks or remove the containers from
rail cars or trucks or other land based vehicles, and bring them
into the loaded container facility for processing.
[0033] The system is provided with a centralized control center 46
of the type well known in the industry with ASRS systems. At this
control center, operators may control the pier, empty container and
receive and deliver cranes by remote controls while observing
television monitors and other gauges. The internal cranes will be
controlled by computer or, in emergencies, by remote controls, with
television and distance gauge monitoring by the operators in the
control center. In time, all of these cranes will be fully
automated and computer controlled.
[0034] The centralized control center 46, in a preferred
embodiment, places the container in the long-term storage in a
specific order. More specifically, containers are placed in long
term storage based upon the hour and date there to be moved into
the shorter term random access facility.
[0035] An additional event monitored by the centralized control
center 46 is the overall loading or weight of each cell. More
specifically, as containers are moved from cell to cell dependant
upon their status, the loading on each cell is varied.
Consequently, a unique "stop" in placed into each cell to support
all containers above a give cell. In this manner, the long term
loaded container facility machines' computers must tabulate the
total tonnage of containers in each cell. When well within the
bearing capacity off the subject containers below, the "stops" will
be inserted, under computer control, into the respective cell to
carry the load of all containers added above the lower containers
in that cell.
[0036] As opposed to previous designs, the empty container facility
need not be centrally positioned along the upland face of the
loaded container system. Rather, in a presently preferred
embodiment, the empty container system can be located in any
general location relative to the loaded container system. This
facility differs from the loaded storage container facility 10 in
that it is provided with a plurality of vertical cells 48 shown
partially in the broken away drawing in FIG. 3. Empty containers of
the same length and width of the same ocean carrier can be stacked
up to fourteen or more high in individual cells as shown. The
containers are guided by vertical comer posts 49 and rest one upon
the other and are not in more expensive separated contained storage
spaces or frameworks as in the loaded storage container facility.
This reduces the overall land required, and the volume and the
amount of steel necessary to construct this empty container storage
facility, as well as the time and cost of handling empty
containers. Since the containers in any one cell are all of the
same size and from the same ocean carrier, there is, in normal
operation, no need to have that each one be separately retrieved
and removed. Rather, the last to be inserted can be the first to be
removed. Individual cells will accommodate all of the containers of
ocean carriers using a given machine. If carriers and container
sizes change, the size of cells can be adjusted to accommodate
them.
[0037] The containers for the empty storage facility or structure
are handled by a plurality of empty storage container 50, 53 which
can reach any of the cells and move a container to the cell or from
the cell to the fast transport empty container balcony 38 or to
trucks or rail cars beneath the cranes. As described earlier, the
fast transport balcony advantageously is employed for handling
empty containers and the entire 10.sup.th level fast transport
balcony will be dedicated to empty containers. Some ships may have
50% or more of empty containers loaded onto the ship, so handling
of empty containers is extremely important. Furthermore, an empty
container as opposed to a container full of merchandise or
perishable products can be stored for long periods of time, such as
a year or more, without being needed. When it is desired to obtain
an empty container or containers, the necessary number of
containers is generally known hours before the ship arrives. These
containers are then removed from their cells by the crane 50 and
delivered to the fast transport balcony 38. There they are moved
rapidly, bypassing the internal cranes to speed up the delivery of
these empty containers. The empty containers can then be placed in
loaded container facility just a few hours before having to be
loaded aboard ships, close by the pier cranes that will load them
aboard ship.
[0038] A typical operation of various types of containers will now
be described. The pier cranes are capable of lifting a container
from the ship, and placing it on a truck, or a rail car on the pier
adjacent the pier bank of storage spaces. This is required for
oversized containers, some flat racks, or containers with hazardous
cargos.
[0039] Refrigerated containers will be removed from the ship by the
pier crane and placed onto a transporter 28 on the balcony 26. The
transporter then positions the container in one of the spaces, the
internal bridge crane will remove the refrigerated container from
that space and reposition it in one of the lower spaces at the
first or second level. These levels will be provided with power
cables, which will then will be manually plugged in to power the
refrigeration equipment on the refrigerated containers, when
necessary. (If containers will only be in the system for a few
hours, it may not be necessary to connect them to power.) A
standard loaded container of any size, for example, identified with
an identification number, or AEI identification, will be lifted by
the pier crane, rotated 90 degree. and deposited on a transporter
28. The transporter will then position the container within an
empty space at that level. The internal crane 20 in that zone will
then retrieve the container from that space and reposition the
container lower, higher, or at some other lateral position for
storage. If the container is going to be immediately placed on a
rail car or truck (chassis), the internal crane will position the
container into a space of an upland or seaward receive and deliver
crane at the second level. The receive and deliver cranes will then
place that container directly onto a rail car or chassis
(trailer).
[0040] In the alternative, the loaded container can be removed from
the ship, placed on a transporter 28, inserted into one of the
spaces, then retrieved by the internal bridge crane and redeposited
into a different space for a few hours or days of storage.
[0041] If it is necessary to move a container from one end of the
pier bank to the space closer to the opposite end of the loaded
container storage facility, or simply to a distant zone of an
internal bridge crane, the pier crane will first deposit the
container on a transporter 28. The transporter will insert the
container into a space. An internal bridge crane will remove it,
and then insert it into a space on the upland or seaward side (with
its ASRS equipment), with access to a fast transport balcony. The
high speed transporter on the fast transport balcony, will
automatically retrieve the container and run up to the full length
of the fast transport balcony 26 or if two ships are being served,
and the second transporter is in operation, it will deposit the
container in a space midway on the structure. The second high speed
transporter will then retrieve the container at that space and move
it rapidly along the balcony to the desired space. The fast
transporter will then place the container into a space and the
internal bridge crane will retrieve the container and reposition it
in some other location in either the upland bank or the pier bank,
or move it to a receive and deliver crane position.
[0042] Obviously, the opposite mode of operation, that is
delivering from land vehicles to the ship is simply the reverse of
the above procedure. A rail car, for example, delivers a loaded
container to the receive and deliver crane 44, or 43, which picks
up the container and rotates it 90 degree and moves it into a space
on the second level of the upland or seaward bank. The internal
bridge crane for that zone will then remove the container and move
it to a seventh level space in the pier bank where a transporter
can deliver it to the appropriate pier crane. If necessary, one of
the fast transporters will be used to move the container to that
desired pier crane position. Or, the system, with or without the
use of fast transporters, will automatically move it to a storage
space close to the pier crane that will later stow it aboard
ship.
[0043] When needed, an empty chassis storage facility 52, can be
provided for storing several empty chassis in individual spaces one
above the other, up to eighteen deep by cranes 53. Initially,
chassis will be stored in a conventional way on the same ground
space.
[0044] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the
disclosure of the preferred embodiment.
* * * * *